Portable safe



.R. M. FERGUSON Sept. 18, 1945.

PORTABLE SAFE Filed Sept. 22

Patented Sept. 18, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT- ()FFICE 1 v ,2,384,826.3 g I FORTABLE'SKFE Ralph M. Ferguson, Dayton, Ohio "Applicationseptenlb'r 22, 1944, serial No. 535-383 (Graraea haer thejact of March a, 1883, as ainflded April 30, 1928; 370 o. G. 757) Claims..

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used. by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without thepay'ment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to portable safes for storing. secret and confidential papers and other documents. 1

\ One of the objects of this invention is to provide aportable safe which is preferably in the form of awater proof armoring housing adapted to carry and protectv "confidential and valuable papers. and documents, and especially papers. that contain secret. military data.

A. more particular object of this invention is to provide a water-proof and fire-proof safe for carry-mg papers and documents, which safe is furthermore arranged to: carry a destroying medium which is. adapteril tobe. readily released so as to destroy said papers or obliterate the same, whenever that may become desirable, whereby this safe is particularly useful for carrying secret military papers and the like by airplane over enemy territory, and is readily operable to destroy the papers and prevent them from falling intact into the hands of an enemy.

These and various other objects and advantages are attained with this invention, as will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein the invention is shown in its preferred form, it being evident that other arrangements and forms of construction may be resorted to for carrying out the objects and purposes of this invention.

The figure in the drawing is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of this invention in its preferred form of construction.

This invention in its preferred form, as disclosed in the drawing, comprises an outer container 6 which constitutes a housing, and an inner container or receptable I which is mounted therein and is arranged and adapted for carrying confidential papers and other documents.

The housing 6 is preferably constructed in the 7 form of a laminated armoring container and is made cylindrical in shape, comprising a tubular outer wall 8 and inner wall 9 of steel, with a wall ID of asbestos or other fire-proof material therebetween, a steel ring I I being positioned at each end of the tubular asbestos member ID. A closure member I2 is secured to one end of the tubular housing for closing said end, and a closure member or cap I3 is mounted fluid-tight but openably over the other end of the housing. Said cap may also be provided with looking means I4 for securing the cap in position and locking the papers and documents safely in the housing.

The inner container I is suitably shaped so as to fit properly in the housing 6 and may be in the former" a bag which has its open end closed by an element I5, as illustrated in the drawing, or in any suitable form, so that its interior furnis'hes a chamber for storing the confidential papers and documents fluid-tight therein. It ispreferably made of a suitably treated rubber or other suitable substance capable of resisting the destructive "action of a corrosive or documentdestroying medium. I

Achamber I6 is provided in the container for receiving a. destroying medium adapted to be released when found. necessary, so that said me dium be enabled to d'estroy thecontained. papers or: at least obliterate the information contained thereon, to prevent the papers and information from falling intact or in a legible form into the hands of an enemy. This chamber I6 is conveniently produced by making the container I with its contents substantially tubular or of such shape and size as to provide a space between its exterior and the interior of the housing; and said space may comprise the annular space around the container and the spaces at both ends of the closed container in the housing. Said destroying medium may consist of any suitable paper-destroying substance, and sulphuric acid is well suited for the purpose of this invention.

-Means is provided with is readily operable for admitting the destroying medium to the papers stored within the container I, and this may be conveniently accomplished by providing an operating member or rupturing member which includes a stem I'I movably mounted in the end member I2 on the housing and extending through a sealing member, or packing 18 provided in said member I2. Said stem has its inner end I9 secured to the inner end of the container, substantially as indicated in the drawing, and it extends outward beyond the housing and has an eye 20 or other suitable handle means on its outer end. The stem can thus be readily operated from the outside of the housing by pulling or turning the eye 20, so as to rupture the attached end of the container, as by cutting it on the edge 2I of end member I2, and admit the fluid into its interior chamber, to destroy the papers therein or at least obliterate them and prevent any restoration thereof or reading of their contents.

Companion threads 22 may also be provided on the stem and in the end member I2, to provide or in a ladys handbag, and the like, as well as being carried in, asuitable location in an 'ai'r plane; and furthermore that it is particularly arranged and adapted for safely carrying military papers of a secret nature therein, even over enemy territory, and can be readily manipulated for actuating a destroying medium so as to enter the otherwise safe container and destroy the papers and documents thereinto prevent them from falling into the hands of an enemy."

I claim:

1. A safe composed of a housing having .an openable closure member thereon, a container in the housing for receiving confidential papers therein, a, chamber provided between the exterior of the container and the interior of the housing to receive a medium capable of destroying the papers, said container being of a material capable of resisting the destructive action of said medium, and rupturing means including a stem having its inner end secured in the container and being readily operable from the exterior of the housing, whereby to pull said stem and the attachedppart, of thercontainer and rupture the latterto admit said medium thereinto for destroying the papers.

. 2. A safe comprising a housing, a container in the housing for receiving confidential papers therein, a, chamber provided between the exterior of the container and the interior of the housing to -receive a fluid capable of destroying the papers, said container being of a material capable of resisting the destructive action of said fluid,

an element secured to the container and being readily operable from the exterior of the housing, for movingsaid element and the attached part of the container and thereby rupture the container to admit the fluid thereinto for destroying the papers, and cooperating safety means on the element and on the housing being rotatably engaged and thereby preventing the element from being unintentionally actuated to rupture the container.

3. A safe comprising a liquid-proof armoring housing having a locking cap thereon, a liquidproof container in the housing for receiving and storing'documents therein, a chamber provided betwenthe container and the housing for receiving a corrosive acid therein, said container being of an acid resisting material, a stem having its inner end connected with the container and projecting through the housing, rupturing means wherewith the stem cooperates, and means for readily operating the stem for rupturing the container and admitting the acidpto the documents ,thereinfor destroying the same.

4. A safe comprising a liquid-proof tubular housinghaving openableclosure means thereon, a bag of, pliable liquid-proof material in the housing for containing confidential papers therein, a chamber provided between the exterior of said bag and the interior of the housing for receiving a corrosive liquid capable of destroying the papers, and means including a stem and also cooperating rupturing means in the housing, said stem being attached to the bag and being readily operable fromthe exterior of the housing, whereby tormove the bag against said means to rupture the bag and admit the liquid thereinto for destroying the papers therein.

7 A ,RALPH FERGUSON. 

